CHICAGO (AP) — The former head of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority is suing White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson, claiming they conspired to fire her two years ago to stop her reforms at the public agency.
Perri Irmer, the agency’s former executive director, filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
She claims Reinsdorf pressured Thompson to remove her when the former governor was chairman of the agency. The lawsuit claims Reinsdorf opposed Irmer because she succeeded in getting the White Sox to pay the agency $1.2 million in yearly rent for the use of U.S. Cellular Field.
Thompson and a Reinsdorf spokesman are denying the lawsuit’s claims. Thompson calls the suit a “self-serving tirade.”
Irmer is seeking unspecified damages to compensate her losses.
